Unemployment is an economic phenomenon that occurs in most, if not all, world countries. It means that no availability of legal job opportunities for those who are able to work and qualified for labor. As a result, it has a negative impact upon individuals, families and communities. In this regards, Thomas Carlyle states ”a man willing to work, and unable to find work, is perhaps the saddest sight that fortune’s inequality exhibits under this sun”. It can be either a total unemployment or a partial one. The former means the loss of earning due to the inability to get a suitable job in spite of being able to work and well-prepared for it, while the later means a temporary reduction in normal or legal working hours as a result of economic and technological reasons. In addition, unemployment has three forms. For instance, open unemployment, optional unemployment and disguised unemployment. Open unemployment is about those fresh job seekers for the first time; represented mostly by fresh graduates. Optional unemployment is represented by those who reject to work and refuse the job opportunity voluntarily. Disguised unemployment is the big and unnecessary number of employees in a workplace where they work fewer official hours. Unemployment has had several negative effects on a country such as illegal activities, marriage deferment and emigration.
As a consequence of unemployment, several illegal activities take place in a community. Unemployed people just find their path to commit unlawful doings such as unlicensed trade, violence, robbery, smuggling, etc. because of their free time and being idle. For this reason, these practices affect the safety of society negatively and in turn the economy of a country. Moreover, such illegitimate practices diminish the economic investment and superfat the problem. Therefore, there is a negative effect of wrongful practices resulting from unemployment upon the economic investment and safety of society. In fact, long-range unemployment passively affects social solidarity and prevents economic growth.
More importantly, unemployment issue is considered the main reason behind the large number of marriage deferment. Due to inability of getting suitable job opportunities, many young people delay marriage until they reach the age of forties, and that is why some others give up marriage totally when feeling they are old enough. Meanwhile, various spinsters are increased in society as a consequence of giving up marriage by jobless people. They do not plan or think of marriage since they are workless and unable to get a job that helps them run a family. Economically un-hired people cannot earn finance and money to pay for marriage commitments such as dowry which nowadays is expensive and unaffordable. So, unemployment is a problematic issue that creates a negative phenomenon of marriage postponement in many countries.
Unemployment enforces many people to emigrate. They find themselves compelled to migrate to other countries in search of job opportunities. Studies show that immigrants impact their homelands. For example, the “brain drain”, the depopulation of regions, and the effect on families when one parent or both emigrate have negative aspects. Consequently, thinkers, sophisticated youth, researchers and intellectuals negatively impact the quality of life and development of their native country. In other words, the contributions of these immigrants help boost other nations rather than their home country.
In conclusion, unemployment is unavailability of lawful job opportunities for people who are capable and fit to work. Due to unemployment, promiscuous activities such as unlicensed trade, violence, robbery, smuggling, etc. rise in the country and threaten its social cohesion. In fact, this essay demonstrates that unemployment is the main reason behind illegal activities, marriage deferment and emigration. Thus, it is simple to put an end to these practices that affects the tenacity and safety of a society by creating chances of work for people and save ”brain drain”; especially, researchers, thinkers and intellectuals. It can be best concluded by William Booth’s saying “a man’s labor is not only his capital but his life”.
About the Author:
Dr. Abdulghani Al-Shuaibi is the Academic Coordinator for the English Language Center at Community College of Qatar
from: http://www.qatarchronicle.com/forum/48952/the-impact-of-unemployment-by-dr-abdulghani-al-shuaibi/
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